Jury awards $3.3 million in Adamsville funeral home lawsuit

A Jefferson County jury on Friday handed down a $3.3 million verdict against an Adamsville funeral home that employed an unlicensed embalmer who ille­gally handled the remains of a deceased man, accord­ing to an attorney for the plaintiff.

Plaintiff Faye Gilmer's husband, 72-year-old Jack Gilmer, died July 16, 2003, and his funeral services were handled by Crestview Memorial Funeral Home, according to a Birmingham News obituary.

Attempts to reach de­fense attorney Bert Taylor were not successful. Coch­ran said the funeral home ordered an employee to forge Groves' signature on forms saying a licensed em­balmer performed the work.

State law requires funeral homes to keep a log of em­balming work and requires that only licensed embalm­ers do the embalming.

Faye Gilmer complained to funeral director Mary Caldwell about her hus­band's appearance, but was told he was "simply swollen," Cochran said. Gilmer also said her husband was buried with his feet facing the headstone, Cochran said.

Jack Gilmer's body was later exhumed and reburied with his head facing the headstone, Cochran said.

Following a trial before Jefferson County Circuit Judge Helen Shores Lee, a jury handed down the ver­dict for breach of contract and fraudulent suppression, Cochran said.